f her gentleness and goodness; but he
had never personally encountered her on any of her errands of mercy. An
exception to this rule, however, took place on a certain afternoon in
November, a few weeks after Hubert Lepel's visit to Beechwood.

Mr. Evandale had on that day received information that one of his
parishioners--a Mrs. Meldreth--was seriously ill and would like to see
him. The informant added that she brought the Rector word of this,
because Mrs. Meldreth's daughter Sabina was now at home, and seemed
anxious to keep the clergyman away. The Rector's fighting instincts were
at once aroused by this communication. He knew Sabina Meldreth by name
only, and had not derived a very pleasant impression of her from all
that he had heard. She had once been an under-housemaid at the Hall, but
had been dismissed for misconduct--of what sort nobody could exactly
say, although much was hinted at which the gossips did not put into
words--and had left the village soon afterwards. Since that time she had
been seen at Beechfield only at intervals; she came occasionally to see
her mother, and stated that she was "engaged in a millinery business at
Whitminster, and doing well." Certainly her airs and graces, her plumes
and jewelry, seemed to betoken that her finances were in a flourishing
condition. But she never came to church, and was reported to talk in an
irreverent manner, which made the Rector long to get hold of her for
five minutes. With his strong convictions, Maurice Evandale could not
bear to hear without protest of the insolent and almost profane sallies
of wit by which, to his mind, Sabina Meldreth dishonored her Creator.
He had long resolved to speak to her on the subject when next she
visited Beechfield. Perhaps her mother's illness would have softened her
and would make the Rector's task less difficult--for it was not his
nature to love the administration of rebuke, although he held it to be
one of his essential duties, when occasion required.

Mrs. Meldreth was a respectable elderly woman, who kept a small shop for
cheap groceries and haberdashery in the village. She did not do much
business, but she lived in apparent comfort--probably, the neighbors
said, because she was helped by her daughter's earnings. And then Mrs.
Vane was unusually kind to her. Flossy did not interest herself much in
the welfare of her poorer neighbors, but to Mrs. Meldreth she certainly
showed peculiar favor. Many a gift of food and wine w